Safety attachment for automobiles



june 24, 192%., ggm J. B. COURSQL, v

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES pneu Jan. z. 192s mmm-snm 2 Patented .lune 24, 1924;.

UNIT EDF ES rasen rare nr trice..

JEAN B. .COURSOLy 0F. OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA;ASSIGNORF ONE-.HALE T0, DOLSITHEZ:

i LEFEBVRE., 0F." OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA..

SAFETY' Araaronivi-EnrA noa AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed-.January 2',l 1923:' Serial No'. 610,189."

To 'all whom z'zmag/ yconcern:

Be it: known-thatfLJnAN B, COURsoIr, a

subject of Greatl Britain, residing inV OaklandV and county oflAlaineda', StateoffCali fornia, have` invented certain new and?y useful Improvements. in Safety lt'ttachments` for Automobiles, whereoff the follow-ing is a specification.

This invention'frelates Ito a safety attachment' for automobiles;

Among the objectsrof'theinvention are the machine, from getting under thel wheels. To provide a.l fender which, normally, isy

retracted within-its casing, and? isv out` of Sight' and out of the way.

Details of the invention, and minor objects and features will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying three sheets of drawing I have illustrated my invention in its preferred form, and shown it as applied to an automobile.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile having my invention applied to it in the front of the machine in the place of the usual bumper bar. A portion of the machine is broken away to show the foot control of the fender.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same machine, and shows the fender casing.

Figure 3 is a Jfragmentary side view showing the combined fender casing and bumper, and the connections of the same to the machine. In dotted lines are shown the periphery of a front wheel, and the chain by which the fender is controlled from the foot lever provided for that purpose. The fender'is within the casing.

Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 31, but the fender is lowered into active position, and the casing, and the connection of the lower side of the fender to the axle, are shown in section.

Figure 5 is a face view of the fender, lowered into active position.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing the latch hooks for holding the fender out of action, and for releasing it. The view is taken from behind the fender, with the side removed.

Figure is atop 1view-of the parts shown in Figure 6g Figures Sand 9 arerdetails ofthe'lside members of vthe fender.

Referringto the drawings andthe figures thereofe--Tfhe lautomobile itselfuieeds no descriptiom Qn'the` front` of the machine, in theposition usually occupied by the buffer, I arrange acasing 1, of'sufliciently Strong material toact' as a buffer. The casing 'is supportedby the springs 2. The -loweledge of the casing'is supported by the members 3, 4, and 5, as will be explained hereinafter.

The casing member 1s open at .the bottom. Nithin the casing 1 is an expansible. or c01- lapsible, fender, seen more particularly inits outspread" position inFigures 4 and 5,.. The fender may be; composed of aseries of' lateralbars, 7'v and '8i The bars 8`are fastened, as by rivets ,9 to the upper side` of'tlieqinvertedcasing 1j The bar Gis connected to bar 8 by side members 10 pivotally joined to both said bars, and divided, each, into two parts connected by a rule joint, as seen more particularly in Figures 8 and 9, so as to fold inward when the fender is retracted. Springs 11 foster such folding. The various bars 6, 7 and 8 of the fender are connected together by oblique links 12, pivotally connected to them, and having one end moving in slots, as 13, to permit the fender to collapse.

The bars 3 are pivotally engaged with the bottom lateral bar 6 of the fender and support the latter at that point, whether it be expanded or contracted. The end of each bar 3, remote from the fender, telescopes into a sleeve socket 4, and receives an outward thrust from a spring 5. The sleeve member 4 is pivotally connected to a clip 14 on the if' front axle 15 of the automobile.

TWhen the fender is raised up, which may be done by hand, and retracted into casing tot) hoolsl Yfrom their engagement with rods 3 and the tender falls b its own Wei 'ht coacting with springs 11 of the side member 10 and engages the obstacle and prevents it from getting under the Wheels.

Having thus described my invention, and an embodiment of it, in the full, clear and eXact terms required by law, and knowing that it comprises novel, useful and valuable improvements in the art to which it pertains, here state that I do not Wish to be limited to the precise construction and arrangement oi the several parts, as herein set forth, as the same may be variously modified vby a skilled mechanic Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

W hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is the following, to-Witz- Y1. An automobile attachment, comprising a casing adapted for elastic connection to the front ot' the vehicle, a fender contracted Within said casing and adapted by its gravity to drop With itslower edge approximating the ground, a yielding member adapted to connect said lower edge With thev front axle of the vehicle and spring actuated hooks mounted upon said casing and adapted to engage and hold said yielding member in contracted position.

2. A combined bumper and fender attachment for automobiles comprising an inverted casing member adapted for yielding connection to the front of the vehicle, a A lattice-like fender member contracted into said casing member and capable of expanding thereout, an elastically yielding connection of the lower edge of the fender with the front axle of the vehicle, said connection December, 1922.

JEAN B. COURSOL 

